'The Conjuring' is a Masterpiece of Creeping Dread.

Thursday

Jun 27, 2013 at 5:15 PM

By Adam Ruhl

I’m not going to reveal any of The Conjuring’s plot here andthough I’m including the trailer I encourage you not to watch it. If you likebeing scared in a movie and have been waiting a long time for that experienceagain; I recommend avoiding all spoilers (if possible) and going into this filmraw. It is a great time and has more goosebump moments than any horror film I’vebeen to in the last ten years.

On Tuesday night I was invited to a prescreening for the newhorror movie The Conjuring. I hadn’t heard anything about it or watched thetrailer prior to attending. If you’re a horror fan you know that over the lastdecade or so there has been a huge wave of ‘based on a true story’ exorcism andhaunting movies. Most of them put Exorcism or Haunting right in the title anddespite some encouraging trailers they’ve been almost universallydisappointing. Most of them have been pale imitations of older, better films ortheir suspense is flatline.

My expectations were that this film would be dipping intothat same well and so far as premise is concerned it does. There is onedistinct difference; this is an incredibly effective modern horror film. There’snothing groundbreaking in the story telling, in fact the plot feels like homageto 70’s haunting movies, but Director James Wan builds tremendous suspense anddread in this picture. With the exception of one incredibly corny line ofdialogue, the movie works. The characters have depth and are easy to care aboutand the stakes ratchet up tremendously as the film progresses.

The Conjuring is worth catching in the theater and notwaiting for home video.

The Conjuring is in theaters nationwide on July 19thand stars Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor, and Ron Livingston.

Rated - R

By Adam Ruhl

I’m not going to reveal any of The Conjuring’s plot here and
though I’m including the trailer I encourage you not to watch it. If you like
being scared in a movie and have been waiting a long time for that experience
again; I recommend avoiding all spoilers (if possible) and going into this film
raw. It is a great time and has more goosebump moments than any horror film I’ve
been to in the last ten years.

On Tuesday night I was invited to a prescreening for the new
horror movie The Conjuring. I hadn’t heard anything about it or watched the
trailer prior to attending. If you’re a horror fan you know that over the last
decade or so there has been a huge wave of ‘based on a true story’ exorcism and
haunting movies. Most of them put Exorcism or Haunting right in the title and
despite some encouraging trailers they’ve been almost universally
disappointing. Most of them have been pale imitations of older, better films or
their suspense is flatline.
My expectations were that this film would be dipping into
that same well and so far as premise is concerned it does. There is one
distinct difference; this is an incredibly effective modern horror film. There’s
nothing groundbreaking in the story telling, in fact the plot feels like homage
to 70’s haunting movies, but Director James Wan builds tremendous suspense and
dread in this picture. With the exception of one incredibly corny line of
dialogue, the movie works. The characters have depth and are easy to care about
and the stakes ratchet up tremendously as the film progresses.

The Conjuring is worth catching in the theater and not
waiting for home video.
The Conjuring is in theaters nationwide on July 19th
and stars Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor, and Ron Livingston.
Rated - R